Irn Bru glory for Thistle as Sons run out of fizz
Carl Tremarco was Caley Thistle’s Irn Bru hero as his injury-time winner secured glory at McDiarmid Park.
The game had appeared to be heading to extra-time before the left back ghosted in at the back post to poke home a Daniel Mackay cross into an empty net.
This completed a dream few days for Mackay who had scored for Scotland schoolboys against England on Friday night before being driven back up by his manager John Robertson.
Robertson was delighted with Mackay and his teammates’ efforts.
“The first half was tight and Dumbarton had the better of it, but we said to the boys at half-time just keep passing the ball and trust yourself and then we started to create chances.
“We get the penalty and you think that’s the break we need.
“We have had two penalties this season and we have missed both so then you worry that it is going to be one of those days.
“Then young Daniel. What a dream weekend for him with a great ball and Carl does what Carl does.
“He’s arrived at the back post at the right time and gets us the winner. I had said to Daniel when I brought him on he was due me something after a sixand-a- half hour drive yesterday to York getting to bed at 2am.
He’s a wonderful talent and a wonderful kid and what a dream. He is 16 and has shown what a great future he has in football.”
It had looked for long periods like a winner was not going to come as both teams huffed and puffed without any clear-cut chances of note.
Dumbarton had the best of the opening stages with Iain Russell seeing a shot blocked into the side-netting.
The Sons continued to dominate possession but could not make this pay.
Russell failed to get on Calum Gallagher’s cross when a decent contact would have seen the net bulge.
If Dumbarton were on top in the first half then the second was a complete role reversal as Robertson’s men grew into the game. But for all their industry there was very little quality with a string of long range efforts most notably from Iain Vigurs and Aaron Doran being the best they could muster.
This was to change with seven minutes remaining as the Highland men were giving a golden opportunity to take the lead. Dumbarton defender Christopher McLaughlin was adjudged to have handled a Doran cross and ref Andrew Dallas pointed to the spot.
Vigurs’ weak effort low to the right was easily saved by Scott Gallacher in the Sons’ goal.
This should have galvanised Gallacher’s teammates but instead it was Caley who kicked on.
Substitute Mackay worked his way down the right hand side and delivered a fantastic cross low along the box and the Tremarco was there to apply the dramatic finish.
Dumbarton manager Stephen Aitken was left to rue what might have been.
“I didn’t see the goal coming at all,” he said. “I thought we had coped with what they threw at us, including the penalty. So I was getting ready for extra time and then that happens.
“I feel for the players as they didn’t deserve to lose but football is a cruel game.
“It is the manner of it with it being the last kick of the ball but I’m proud to have managed these players.”